Thursday, March 13, 2008

This is a Sens Army Blog EXCLUSIVE scouting report on key prospect and 2007 draft choice Louie Caporusso. Currently playing for the University of Michigan Wolverines, Caporusso is seventh in team scoring (with 11 goals and 7 assists in 26 games) despite missing ten games with a knee injury.

Nathan Sandals, Managing Sports Editor at The Michigan Daily newspaper, gave us the following scouting report on Caporusso:

Louie is one of a great group of freshman forwards at Michigan. He has centered the third line for most of the season. His role is as a playmaker. Louie has impressed onlookers this season with his ability to score timely goals, as evidenced by his game winner against NotreDame in January with 20 seconds left.

Coach Berenson has been very impressed with Louie as he has been with the entire freshman class. Louie is one of Michigan's best faceoff menand he has caught up to the speed of the college game very quickly. Louie missed six weeks in November and December with a knee injury but he came back and managed to score a goal on his first shift back.

Louie's future at Michigan is certainly bright. He is an intelligentand friendly kid who has quickly been embraced by the coaches, histeammates and Michigan fans.

Louie's role is as a playmaker on Michigan's third line, which he centers. Louie is an offensive stalwart with a knack for timely goals, none bigger than his game-winner against Notre Dame in January, which was scored with twenty seconds left in the game. Louie has seen sometime on the power play and the coaches consider him one of the team's best faceoff men.

Even if his future at Michigan is bright, the Sens could always use a player with the ability to score timely goals. Special thanks to Nate, and if you're interested in reading The Michigan Daily--a pretty darn good read--you can check it out here.

There's also a great interview on the U of M athletics website, where Caporusso talks a bit about his favourite players and how he feels about being drafted to Ottawa:

» On who he likes to watch ..."I like Mike Fisher (of the Ottawa Senators) a lot because of his heart. He goes on 90 percent work, and 10 percent talent and that is unbelievable. He is not the most talented guy, but he goes all out every game. That's what it's all about... "

» On being picked by the Ottawa Senators in the 2007 NHL Draft ..."That was probably one of the best times of my hockey career if you include getting into Michigan. I wasn't at the draft. I think Ottawa really liked my character. In my interview they really liked the way I spoke. I told them, 'If you don't take me you're going to regret it.' I think they understood that. Then they took me. On that day I was pretty excited. It was almost like I was in a dream."

EDIT: Nathan sent me further information, so the report has been updated.